Semina: Ciências Agrárias ISSN: 1676-546X [email protected] Universidade Estadual de Londrina Brasil Avila Valandro, Marilia; da Exaltação Pascon, João Paulo; de Arruda Mistieri, Maria Lígia; Lubeck, Irina Dermatophytosis due to Microsporum nanum infection in a canine Semina: Ciências Agrárias, vol. 38, núm. 1, enero-febrero, 2017, pp. 317-320 Universidade Estadual de Londrina Londrina, Brasil Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=445749994048 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative DOI: 10.5433/1679-0359.2017v38n1p317 Dermatophytosis due to Microsporum nanum infection in a canine Dermatofitose por Microsporum nanum em um canino Marilia Avila Valandro1*; João Paulo da Exaltação Pascon2; Maria Lígia de Arruda Mistieri2; Irina Lubeck2 Abstract Miscrosporum nanum is a dermatophyte found in swine that causes non-pruritic lesions with desquamation, alopecia, and circular characteristics. M. nanum infection in dogs is rare and poorly understood in terms of its epidemiological and clinical features, and its therapeutic response. The present report describes a case of dermatophytosis due to M. nanum in a Dogo Argentino breed of dog that was used for wild boar hunting. The dermatophytosis presented with hypotrichosis, erythema, and non-pruritic desquamation in the back of the neck and chest area. The dermatophytosis was responsive to systemic treatment with itraconazole and topical (miconazole 2%) for 60 days. Thus, we conclude that the practice of hunting wild boar should be considered as a possible source of infection of M. nanum in the reported dog. The M. nanum infection showed clinical features that were similar to the lesions observed in swine, except for the absence of the circular pattern, and showed a good clinical response to the therapy. Finally, M. nanum should be considered as an etiologic agent of dermatophytosis in dogs that in some manner have had direct contact with domestic or wild swine. Key words: Dermatophytes. Dog. Therapy. Resumo O Miscrosporum nanum é um dermatófito encontrado em suídeos, promovendo lesões não pruriginosas, com características descamativas, alopécicas e circulares. A infecção de cães é rara e pouco compreendida em seus aspectos epidemiológicos, clínicos e terapêuticos. O presente relato tem por objetivo descrever um caso de dermatofitose porM. nanum em um cão Dogo Argentino, utilizado na prática de caça à javali, apresentando hipotricose, eritema e descamação não pruriginosa da região dorsal do pescoço e tórax, responsivo ao tratamento sistêmico com itraconazol, associado ao tópico (miconazol 2%), durante 60 dias. Desta forma, concluímos que a prática de caça à suínos selvagens deve ser considerada a possível fonte de infecção de M. nanum no cão relatado, o qual apresentou características clínicas semelhantes às lesões observadas em suínos, exceto pela ausência do padrão circular, com boa resposta clínica à terapia empregada. Por fim, oM. nanum deve ser considerado como agente etiológico da dermatofitose em cães que, de alguma forma, possuam contato direto com suídeos domésticos ou selvagens. Palavras-chave: Dermatófitos. Cão. Terapia. 1 M.e em Ciência Animal, Universidade Federal do Pampa, UNIPAMPA, Campus Uruguaiana, RS, Brasil. E-mail: mavalandro@ gmail.com 2 Profs., Adjunto, Curso de Medicina Veterinária, UNIPAMPA, Campus Uruguaiana, RS, Brasil. E-mail: joaopascon@unipampa. edu.br; [email protected]; [email protected] * Author for correspondence Received: June 29, 2015 - Approved: Oct. 21, 2016 317 Semina: Ciências Agrárias, Londrina, v. 38, n. 1, p. 317-320, jan./fev. 2017 Valandro, M. A. et al. Introduction the occurrence of dermatophytosis due to M. nanum infection in a canine used for wild boar hunts. Dermatophytosis is a fungal disease of the keratinized tissues (skin, hair, and nails) of humans and animals, and has a variable incidence Case report according to the geography, climate, and animal husbandry techniques. The fungi involved in this A seven-month-old female Dogo Argentino disease are classified into three genera, namely, breed of dog presented with non-pruritic alopecia Epidermophyton, Microsporum, and Trichophyton with crusts and erythema in the dorsal region of (BERNARDO et al., 2005; CHERMETTE et the neck and chest, sternum, and pelvic limb. The al., 2008; SEKER; DOGAN, 2011; BARSIRI- clinical and physical characteristics of this dog were JAHROMI, 2012). M. canis is responsible for most within the standards of the breed. clinical cases of dermatophytosis in dogs and cats A fungal culture of hair and scabs was carried (BERNARDO et al., 2005; SEKER; DOGAN, out in a petri dish containing the selective media 2011; BARSIRI-JAHROMI, 2012). Mycobio® (Himedia® Laboratories, Mumbai, M. nanum is a dermatophyte that is more adapted India) and incubated for three weeks at 25-28º to swine species, suggesting that direct contact C. The presence of fungal growth was evaluated with this species is the main source of M. nanum daily, and colonies with a cotton wool and powdery infection in humans and animals (AJELLO et al., appearance were used for subsequent culture in 1964; ROLLER; WESTBLOM, 1986). In dogs, the Sabouraud agar. Microscopic analysis confirmed occurrence of M. nanum infection is rare, and the the production of small pear-shaped macroconidia clinical manifestations of such an infection have with 1 to 3 septa, consistent with a diagnosis of M. been reported in a clinical study (MUHAMMED; nanum infection (CRUZ, 2010). MBOGWA, 1974) and in studies of the prevalence Dermatophytes are a group of fungi that have the of M. nanum in the cultivated hair of dogs and cats ability to use keratin as a substrate. The infection of with suspected dermatophytosis (BERNARDO et the keratinized tissue is termed “tinha” or ringworm al., 2005; SEKER; DUGAN, 2011). No report has (BERNARDO et al., 2005; CHERMETTE et al., been published on this infection in dogs in Brazil. 2008; BARSIRI-JAHROMI, 2012). These fungi The main clinical characteristics of can be found in companion, production, or wild dermatophytosis lesions due to M. nanum infection animals (SPIEWAK; SZOSTAK, 2000). include circular alopecia with raised edges and The incidence of M. nanum infection in desquamation in swine (ROLLER; WESTBLOM, companion animals is low. In a survey conducted 1986; CHERMETTE et al., 2008), humans in Portugal by Bernardo et al. (2005) involving 234 (ROLLER; WESTBLOM, 1986; YERGA et al., animals (144 dogs and 90 cats) with dermatophytosis, 2007), and dogs (MUHAMMED; MBOGWA, only 1.4% of dogs and 2.2% of cats had this fungus. 1974; SEKER; DUGAN, 2011). In another survey conducted by Seker and Dogan Although contact between dogs and swine is (2011) in Turkey, fungal cultures of the hair of 198 unlikely given the current commercial rearing dogs and 164 cats with suspected dermatophytosis practices for swine, illegal rearing activities and were performed, and M. nanum growth was present wild boar hunting practices, which are escalating in only 5.4% of the dog samples and 18.1% of in Brazil, may allow for contact between dog and the cat samples. However, the prevalence of M. swine species and possible infection. Here we report nanum infection in companion animals might be underestimated because typically in clinical 318 Semina: Ciências Agrárias, Londrina, v. 38, n. 1, p. 317-320, jan./fev. 2017 Dermatophytosis due to Microsporum nanum infection in a canine practice the identification of the fungal species is clotrimazole topical cream and oral griseofulvin for only performed for the therapeutic diagnosis of six weeks. In dogs, however, no specific treatment mycosis (BERNARDO et al., 2005). for dermatophytosis due to M. nanum infection has been reported. The treatment we used for our reported In humans, M. nanum infection is associated canine was similar to that used by Chermette et al. with the handling of swine. All reports of (2008) in the treatment of M. canis infections, which dermatophytosis due to M. nanum in humans consisted of systemic oral itraconazole at 10 mg kg-1 involve workers and residents of rural areas where every 24 hours and topical 2% miconazole shampoo swine farming is common. Sometimes the infected in two weekly baths. This therapy was effective, animals show ringworm lesions; however cases with complete remission of the lesions within 30 have been described in which the fungus was days of use, and a negative culture after this period. isolated from apparently healthy pigs. Ajello et al. The treatment was continued for another 30 days in (1964) and Roller and Westblom (1986) isolated accordance with the recommendations of Chermette M. nanum from soil cultures in places of swine et al. (2008) for dermatophytosis. rearing, confirming the existence of saprophytes of active growth in the soil and sporulated forms of the The conditions of our reported case suggest fungus. Dermatophytosis due to M. nanum has been that the direct contact with wild swine (wild boar) described as a common zoonosis of rural workers during hunting was the source of the M. nanum (ROLLER; WESTBLOM, 1986; SPIEWAK; infection that caused dermatophytosis. Similarly, SZOSTAK, 2000; YERGA et al., 2007). the locations and characteristics of the skin lesions, notwithstanding the lack of a circular pattern, were Direct contact with a contaminated environment similar to the lesions that have been described in or animal is the main source of infection in humans swine. Finally, our treatment of the infection was and animals (CHERMETTE et al., 2008). Although, successful and can be recommended in other cases in general, dogs do not maintain direct contact with of M. nanum infection in dogs. domestic swine, some dogs are used in the practice of hunting wild boar. Thus, this activity is a possible source of infection. References The overall presentation of “tinha” in animals and AJELLO, L.; VARSAVSKY, E.; GINTHER, O. J.; humans, as reported by Muhammed and Mbogwa BUBASH, G.